Justin Fields is “doubtful” to play against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7, Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus said on Monday.
“There is natural swelling,” Eberflus said. “There’s no timetable right now. It’s really going to come down to grip strength.”
In the third quarter of the Bears’ loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Fields suffered a dislocated thumb on his right, throwing hand. He popped the thumb back in and attempted to keep playing.
Fields was sacked for the fourth time on Chicago’s opening possession of the second half, and headed to the locker room after that. Fields finished with 58 yards and an interception on 6-of-10 passing and 46 yards on the ground.
Eberflus told reporters that Fields was unable to grip the ball.
“He wanted to come back in the game,” Eberflus said after the Bears’ 19-13 defeat. “He just couldn’t grip the ball to throw it right now.”
Tyson Bagent came in for Fields and helped lead Chicago on its lone touchdown drive of the game — a 1-yard scamper by Bagent. The undrafted rookie nearly helped erase the 13-point deficit, but his comeback fell short. While Bagent threw an interception and lost a fumble, Eberflus reiterated his and the team’s confidence in the young quarterback.
“We will look at that and evaluate that,” Eberflus said. “We believe in Tyson. We obviously had him at No. 2 for a reason. We feel strong about that.”